State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) wants Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) to “honor the commitment he made to me” on the marriage equality bill she sponsors.  

Weinberg issued a statement this evening in response to Sweeney’s comment at the League of Municipalities today that “the main issue right now is the economy” and the senate should consider the gay marriage bill at an unspecified later time.

“As the prime sponsor of the Marriage Equality Act, I am urging our current Majority Leader to honor the commitment he made to me to move this important civil rights bill forward. We have the ability in the legislature to talk about this bill and address the economic crisis at the same time,” said Weinberg. “I received commitments from the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as from Majority Leader Sweeney that they would allow this bill to move forward. It will be a disappointment to so many in the grassroots of our party as well as to me personally if this commitment is not honored.”

Update, 9:42pm -- Citing a miscommunication with Sweeney, Weinberg offered this revised statement:

“I think there has been a miscommunication between Steve Sweeney and myself.  I look forward to talking to him personally.  It really is up to Senate President Dick Codey to make a decision about pushing this bill forward, and the Judiciary Committee Chair [state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) has informed me that he will post the bill.”